Thread: OBA for 300tdi?

Has anyone managed to fit a york compressor into the engine bay of a 300tdi Discovery for on board air?

If so, how and where?

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Bush65

I am looking to fit a york to the 300Tdi in my rangie. But what I plan to do may not be suitable for a disco.

I have a number of other things to attend to before I get to it, but have been slowly gathering the bits and pieces.

My plan is to make a bracket to bolt under the air con compressor. The york will bolt to the bracket to the RH side of the compressor/timing cover.

I still have to decide on which option to use for the drive belt. Will need an extra idler pulley (or 2) to maintain enough wrap on the air con clutch pulley.

The other option that I am considering is to drive it with the alternator/fan/power steeringpump belt. This is an option for me because I'm running an electric fan - I can remove the fan pulley.

I have read that many people have used A/C compressors for on board compressed air - and they are happy.

However A/C compressors are not designed to compress air and whilst they will do, they will also pump the sump oil out with the air.

A 'normal' air compressor will either be oil-less or have a seperator to keep the oil in the place where it's meant to be.

In their normal operation of a A/C compressor the oil pumped out or 'carried over' will return to the compressor (eventually) with the refrigerant via the suction line - as it's a closed loop cycle - however in the use of air compressor the route is one way only.

There are quite good mods you can do on the York compressors - but it will not solve the problem completely.

A quick fix would be to manually add oil - say once a month, a more complicated method would be have an oil return system from the seperator (if fitted) or the tank, or fit a drip oil feeder to top up the sump.

Another thing - don't use refrigerant oil, especially PAG (Poly Alpha Glycol) or POE Polyol Ester - as they are extreeeeeeeemely hygroscopic and would easily contaminate the oil and carry moisture into the tank. This will damage the compressor and rust out the tank - it won't happen today, or tomorrow - but it will happen.

The best way though is use a compressor designed to compress air.